A47407:63
The breach repaired in God's worship, or, Singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,…
The breach repaired in God's worship, or, Singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, proved to be an holy ordinance of Jesus Christ with an answer to all objections : as also, an examination of Mr. Isaac Marlow's two papers, one called, A discourse against singing, &c., the other, An appendix : wherein his arguments and cavils are detected and refuted / by Benjamin Keach ...
London: printed for Author, 1691
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Singing of Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, an Holy Ordinance of… › Chapter 1
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The Essence of Singing then, (if that word may be admitted) lies no more in our Spirit than the Essence of Preaching, &c. And sha•• the Quakers, or any other deceived People […] Person, say, (when they meet together to preach, pray, or sing the Praises of God) tha• in their Spirits they have the Essence of tho•• Duties, and so perform them to God, notwithstanding there is not one of them verbally and vocally done; certainly nothing can be more ridiculous. Besides the main part (Essence too, if you please) nay the whole of Singing, lies in the Voice. I speak of the act, or thing […] self, not of a right spiritual and Gospel-Performance ⟨p. 15⟩of it, for he may be said to preach, who has not the Spirit of God to assist him in the doing of it, (nor is he affected with what he says) as properly as he that preaches spiritually, or by the assistance of the Holy Ghost in his own Heart. Doubtless, Birds sing as truly as any Men can be said so to do; and so do those who sing profane Songs; t•ere's all the parts of Singing manifested in their Act, so much difference there is between the doing of an Act, or Work, and the Manner, Design, Spirit, and End, in performing of it.
The Essence of Singing then, (if that word may be admitted) lies no more in our Spiri• than the Essence of Preaching, &c. And sha•• the Quakers, or any other deceived People 〈…〉 Person, say, (when they meet together to preach, pray, or sing the Praises of God) tha• in their Spirits they have the Essence of tho•• Duties, and so perform them to God, notwithstanding there is not one of them verbally and vocally done; certainly nothing can be more ridiculous. Besides the main part (Essence too, if you please) nay the whole of Singing, lies in the Voice. I speak of the act, or thing 〈…〉 self, not of a right spiritual and Gospel-Performance ⟨p. 15⟩